ESS Lounge   

Dont be surprised if you have to spend a few minutes in line to get into Ess Lounge. Thats because in the sea of bars and clubs in downtown Raleigh, this one is probably the hottest. Here, women clad in sexy clothes mingle with men who apparently spend a lot of time in the gym. This is Raleighs see-and-be-seen scene, and while you can come in jeans, youd probably feel like a fish out of water. While there is a little bit of a pretentious air, that quickly fades after a couple of drinks at the large four-sided bar right inside the entrance. The main action stays around the bar, but you can also opt to hang out on the large patio or congregate at one of the many clumps of chairs and couches. If you feel like more activity, head to the back room where the music lends itself to dancing with lots of hip-hop, ambient and electronica tunes. Because this place is hip and trendy, drink prices are a little pricey, so do yourself a favor and offset the price a little by getting there before 10PM and avoiding the late-night cover charge.